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Breed profile

Bearded Collie

A bouncy, shaggy Scottish herding dog. Cheerful and clownish, with a long coat that needs serious weekly grooming.

A long-coated grey and white Bearded Collie stands on a footpath beside a grass verge
That flowing coat takes real weekly work to keep free of mats.Photo: marbla123 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Weight
18–27 kg40–60 lb
Height
51–56 cm20–22 in
Lifespan
12–14 yrs
Group
Pastoral / Herding
Origin
Scotland
Popularity
#140 US#89 UK · 2025

Known for: Family dogsGood with other dogsCold climates

Energy
Shedding
Trainability
Barking
Good with kids
Flat-friendly

Temperament

Bouncy, Cheerful, Intelligent, Sociable.

Health problems to know about

  • Addison's disease (hypoadrenocorticism)
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Autoimmune skin disease (pemphigus foliaceus)
  • Progressive retinal atrophy
  • Hip dysplasia

Ask breeders for the parents' health test results, and check what your national breed club recommends screening for.

Daily care

An hour or more of exercise a day plus games or herding-style work. Thorough brushing at least weekly, down to the skin, to prevent mats. Positive, varied training.

A good fit for

Active families, people who enjoy grooming, dog-sport homes.

Probably not ideal for

Flats, house-proud owners (mud and burrs come home in that coat), people short on time.

Sources

  1. Royal Kennel Club: Bearded Collie breed information
  2. VCA Animal Hospitals: Bearded Collie
  3. Wikipedia: Bearded Collie

Popularity: AKC 2025 registration rankings (US); Royal Kennel Club 2025 registrations (UK, ranked by us). Breed traits are tendencies, not guarantees. Individual dogs vary, and mixed breeds and rescues can be wonderful fits too.

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